Tetramorium hasinae

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Expert
• Origin & Habitat: Southern Thailand (Nakhon Si Thammarat Province), Khao Nan National Park. Collected from rotting wood in a tropical rainforest ^[1][2].
• Colony Type: Single-queen colonies (monogyne). Only one wild colony has ever been documented, which had one dealated queen and four workers ^[1].
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: Size data unavailable, only head measurements exist (0.60 mm HW) ^[1][2].
  • Worker: Size data unavailable, only head measurements exist (0.51-0.53 mm HW) ^[1][2].
  • Colony: Unknown, only one wild colony documented with 4 workers ^[1].
  • Growth: Unknown, no captive breeding data exists.
  • Development: Unknown, no direct development data. From related Tetramorium species at 24-28 °C, expect roughly 6-10 weeks. (This is an inference, no direct observations have been made on T. hasinae.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Tropical species, keep at 24-28 °C. Provide a gradient so the ants can choose ^[1].
  • Humidity: High humidity needed. Keep nest substrate consistently damp but not waterlogged. Rotting wood stays humid and well-aerated. Aim for a stable moist environment with good airflow ^[1].
  • Diapause: No, this is a tropical ant from southern Thailand with no winter diapause. Keep warm all year ^[1].
  • Nesting: In the wild they nest in rotting wood. For captivity, try a naturalistic setup with damp rotting wood or a well-moistened plaster or Y-tong nest with small, tight chambers. Avoid acrylic nests. Test tubes work if kept humid and warm, but wood may be preferred ^[1].
• Behavior: Extremely tiny, excellent escape prevention is critical. Based on typical Tetramorium, they are likely active, non-aggressive foragers. Their defense mechanism is a smear stinger: they wipe venom onto enemies rather than piercing (typical for tribe Crematogastrini). At their tiny size, any sting is negligible to humans.
• Common Issues: no captive husbandry data exists, everything is speculative and based on related species., high humidity needs can clash with mold control, good ventilation is essential., tiny workers can squeeze through the smallest gaps, use tight seals and oil or PTFE barriers., only one wild colony ever found, no safety net if captive stock fails., should not be wild-collected, extremely rare and known from one location only.

Discovery and Rarity

Tetramorium hasinae was described in 2011 by Yamane & Jaitrong from a single colony at Papra Station in Khao Nan National Park, southern Thailand. That colony contained one dealated queen and four workers ^[1][2]. The species name honors Ms. Sasitorn Hasin, who helped collect the material ^[1]. No other colonies have ever been found, so any captive stock would be extremely valuable for study ^[1].

Appearance and Identification

Workers are tiny, head width is about 0.51-0.53 mm, but total body length is not recorded. Their body is yellowish-brown to brown with a darker gaster and lighter legs. They are covered in dense, branched (mostly trifid) hairs that stand up from the head, mesosoma, and waist ^[1][2]. The head, mesosoma, and waist have a dense puncto-reticulate (pitted and ridged) surface, giving a matte texture ^[1][2]. Queens are similar but reddish-brown with a darker gaster and share the same hairy coat ^[1][2].

Natural Habitat and Nesting

The only known colony was taken from rotting wood in a tropical rainforest in southern Thailand ^[1][2]. This means they prefer warm, humid conditions and decomposing wood as nest material. For captivity, you can replicate this with a moisture-stable nest made of plaster or Y-tong, or use a piece of damp rotting wood in a naturalistic setup. Chamber size should be small to match their tiny bodies ^[1].

Temperature and Humidity Requirements

As a tropical rainforest species, T. hasinae needs stable warmth, aim for 24-28 °C. Use a heating cable on one side to create a gradient. Humidity must be high: keep the nest substrate damp but not waterlogged. In nature, rotting wood maintains a consistently moist microclimate. Good ventilation prevents mold while retaining moisture ^[1].

Feeding and Diet

The natural diet is unknown. Based on other Tetramorium species, they likely eat small insects and accept sugary liquids. Offer very small live prey such as springtails or fruit flies, along with a drop of honey or sugar water. Make sure fresh water is always available. Be ready to experiment, no feeding data exists for this species ^[1].

Challenges and Why It Is Expert-Only

This is one of the hardest species to keep. There is zero captive husbandry data, everything must be inferred from related species and habitat. The ant is extremely rare in the wild (only one colony ever found), so there is no backup if your colony fails. Their tiny size makes escape prevention difficult and finding appropriately small food tricky. Even experienced keepers should only attempt this after mastering more common Tetramorium species. Document everything you observe, any captive data would be scientifically valuable ^[1].

Frequently Asked Questions

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References